Town going to court in fight to close down Hornby truck terminal

The Town of Halton Hills alleges the terminal is ‘brazenly’ violating Town bylaws and operating without the proper approvals

The Town of Halton Hills is taking an allegedly illegal truck terminal and its owner to court in an effort to have all activity stopped on the Hornby properties.

The Town has filed an application with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for an injunction against Harjeet “Harry” Singh Mander and four of his numbered companies that comprise Ameri-Can Systems and Mander Group of Companies.

The municipality says the businesses are operating the terminal that started at 8029 Hornby Rd. in the spring of 2021 and has now expanded onto an adjoining property at 13265 Steeles Ave.

“At issue is the use of the property for the storage of commercial motor vehicles, warehousing, the operation of a transport terminal, and the violation of at least seven other Town by-laws and various violations of the Ontario Building Code Act,” says a press release from the Town announcing the court proceedings.

“Town staff were made aware of the (alleged) illegal use in 2021, with 48 Provincial Offences Act charges having been issued to date with respect to 8029 Hornby Rd.”

Both sites were agricultural land with farm houses before being converted into a trucking terminal, says the Town. Court documents reveal that no rezoning approvals or other necessary permits were sought by the businesses before they set up shop and began operating, which the Town says has “altered these rural farm properties beyond recognition.”

According to the court filing, in one attempt by a municipal bylaw officer to enforce compliance and shut the operation down, Mander allegedly replied, “Give me a ticket.”

In addition, the Town’s injunction application alleges that two buildings were constructed on the Hornby Road property without permits, with a structure now erected on the Steeles Avenue land too, also without a permit.

Town staff says for over two years, they have attempted to compel compliance on multiple occasions through verbal warnings, notices, orders to discontinue and the issuance of 48 charges.

Mander did not respond to requests for comment from HaltonHillsToday.

The Town is seeking an order from the court to cease trucking-related activities on the properties and remove infrastructure and equipment associated with the business. Among other things, the Town further wants the company to remove all fill debris from the properties and work to restore them. This includes ending the use of a home on the Hornby property as an unpermitted office building.

Photos included with the court filing show moonscapes of gravel on both properties. Trucks have been photographed dumping large amounts of alleged construction fill, like shattered cinder blocks\

The municipality is also pointing to local residents complaining of noise and lights from the property. Plumes of dust kicked up by the trucks and noise leave local residents unable to open their windows, says the Town.

Photos show the trucks blocking traffic on both sides of the two-lane Hornby Road.

“With great regularity, traffic is held up by trucks blocking two lanes of traffic and having to three-point turn in order to successfully make it onto the roadway or into the Hornby property,” says the Town’s document.

“Transport trucks veer into oncoming traffic on narrow Hornby Road, (which has a single lane in both directions and is not built for heavy traffic) to get into and out of the Hornby property. They regularly get stuck in the drainage ditches lining the road.”

A two-day court hearing has been set for Feb. 26 an 27, 2024 to address the matter.